Help us shout from the rooftops — we won’t stop fighting the death penalty until it’s abolished in every state of the US, and in every country in the world!

We activists know that human rights victories only come after years of hard work. Today a simple stroke of the governor’s pen sealed the deal, but Connecticut’s remarkable achievement for human rights was decades in the making.

With Amnesty and the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty, I have worked to repeal capital punishment in Connecticut for eleven years. Now that abolition is finally here, I find myself overwhelmed with emotion. Overwhelmed with a need to say thanks.

Starting in 2001, it was Amnesty International that supported my activism — funding my work, sending me to trainings, developing my knowledge base — all to nurture me as a leader against the death penalty in Connecticut.

And I was never alone. So many Amnesty activists have stepped up to join our growing movement, in Connecticut and beyond. You’ve raised your voices at protests, stood in solidarity at vigils, signed petitions, met with legislators and educated your friends and families about the profound injustice that the death penalty represents. No matter what state or country you are in, your actions helped bring us to this day!

It’s hard to find the words to thank you. It’s even harder to keep my composure on this historic day! But your enthusiasm keeps my love of human rights, my faith in the power of activism — and my hope for the future — alive.

State by state, our battle against capital punishment marches on in the US. Our collective work on Troy Davis’ case resounded with people all over the world. Next stop — California, a state poised to make history this fall by ending its death penalty through a referendum.

Our struggle continues. But with each victory, we come closer to a world where human rights are respected, and executions are a thing of the past. Thank you again for all you do for justice.

With great hope,

Robert NaveConnecticut State Death Penalty Abolition CoordinatorAmnesty International USA